Press & PR

A new deal could see rural areas of India given more broadband access as the country's authorities seek to make economic targets.

The government is to put out a tender to create more connections, with cash provided by the Universal Service Obligation Fund, as it aims to enable broadband to compete more effectively with mobile telephony, Indian finance news source Sify reports.

According to the publication, the secretary of the department of communications wrote a letter that stated: "In the very near future, a scheme is being introduced to assist service providers to provide broadband connectivity in rural areas."

This could be of benefit to the army of backpackers and gap year travellers who choose India as their destination each year. Broadband connectivity would enable them to use VoIP products, potentially saving money on international calls.

Vonage UK offers a range of calling plans providing unlimited calls to 25 countries, including the UK. Unlimited calls for the UK and Ireland start from just £5.99 a month.

The Year Out Group lists India as the top destination for such travellers.